Sign: Stop Forcing Emaciated, Senior Elephant To Work At Festival

Shocking and utterly heartbreaking images of a malnourished, senior elephant were released this week by the Save Elephant Foundation. The images show a 70-year-old female elephant, named Tikiiri, who is forced to work at an annual festival in Sri Lanka. Spectators at the festival are unaware of Tikiiri's pitiful condition because she wears a costume which covers her emaciated body.

Please join us in asking the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to stop forcing this underweight and ailing elephant to participate in the Perahera Festival and get her the medical attention that she needs.

Who's signing

Tracy Wood

Sabine Scheps

Jennifer Hill

Laura Lanciotti

Amy Freeman

Mari Rust

Deborah Desanto

Danielle Ravis

Marites Reimann

Susanne Wiesneth

Dipankar Majumdar

jason brousalis

Adam Ostler

Ann-Marie Walker

Aida Ruiz

Barbara Everhart

Gary Schutt

Marie-Eva Marcouyeux

Sukanya Bordoloi

Carlos Torrico

Corinne Copeland

Giselle White

martina dietl

Lynne Miles

Muriel Yvenat

Joanne bird

Eiko Ono

Shannon Simpson

Becky Ilic

Franziska Eber

Update 8/28/19

UPDATE: Your signatures were sent this morning along with the letter outlined below to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. A donation has been made by Animal Victory to Save Elephant Org as well. Please continue to share and sign until Tikiiri gets the medical attention she needs. Read our letter here

Update: It has been confirmed that Tikiiri has been returned to her owner and she is receiving medical treatment for what is described as an "eating disorder" related to her advanced age. Wildlife conservationist Dr Prithviraj Fernando tells RepublicNext, "The elephant is in the last stage of her life and her condition is critical. Making the animal participate in a pageant under such conditions cannot be justified on any grounds."

Update 8/16/19:A new image of Tikiiri appears to show the aging elephant near death. The shocking photos of the 70-year-old elephant have sparked worldwide concern and calls for her to receive urgent medical care. The outcry has reached John Amaratunga, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Tourism, who has ordered veterinarians to "immediately" visit Tikiiri, reports The Mirror.

Though Amaratunga seems to be concerned for the elephant's welfare, other government officials claim that the aging elephant is "fine" and that she merely "struggled to get up" after sleeping when the concerning image was taken. Please continue to share this petition and let government officials know that the world is watching!

"She walks many kilometers every night so that people will feel blessed during the ceremony. No one sees her bony body or her weakened condition, because of her costume. No one sees the tears in her eyes, injured by the bright lights that decorate her mask, no one sees her difficulty to step as her legs are short shackled while she walks."

Not only should Tikiiri be allowed to stop working at the 10-day Perahera Festival, but she should be provided with medical care and a sanctuary to care for her for the remainder of her life. Tikiiri has suffered long enough.

Struggling to get up! We are not idiots! She is nothing but skin and bones! She is 70 years old and you still want her to carry your sorry ass in a festival! Open your eyes get a heart and let this girl live out the rest of herlife in a sanctuary ! From the looks of her and considering her age that doesn’t seem to far off.